Juvenile Justice

Internal and External Causes of Juvenile Delinquency

Distinguished Teaching Professor Of Sociology, University At Albany-SUNY

Key Findings

School-level variables had a significant impact on predicted delinquency.

There is a significant effect of internal attitudinal traits, characterized by excessive ego and focus on individual achievement, on readiness for violence in individuals.

Students who judge their achievement in school and relationships with teachers low, are more likely to report pro-violence attitudes.

Individual perception of the school culture/climate had no impact on pro-violence tendencies.

Description

In the article, “Marketized Mentality, Competitive/Egotistic School Culture, and Delinquent Attitudes and Behavior: An Application of Institutional Anomie Theory,” Messner and his co-authors examine internal (individual) and external (school-level) causes of juvenile delinquency using the institutional anomie theory (IAT), which seeks to identify causes for criminal activity on a macro-sociological level. The IAT theorizes that crime is connected to societies where the economy is the dominant social institution; such as societies with capitalist economies. The researchers collected their survey data from a previous study on adolescent and young adults in Germany that included more than 4,000 students from about 70 schools aged 11-20 years old. The researchers studied the attitudinal and behavioral survey indicators to fill in other variables for the IAT. The results showed that external school-level variables had a significant impact on predicted delinquency; 7.9% of the variance in readiness for violence in students could be traced to school culture/climate. They also found a significant effect of the MM trait, characterized by excessive ego and focus on individual achievement, on a readiness for violence in individuals. Experiencing family violence in childhood, weak familial bonds, and being female are other factors with significant effects on pro-violence attitudes. Students who judge their achievement in school and relationships with teachers low are more likely to report pro-violence attitudes. Individual perception of the school culture/climate had no impact on pro-violence tendencies. The researchers note that both internal (MM trait) and external (school climate) contribute to pro-violence attitudes and delinquency. They note that attitudes and behaviors are not always congruent but attitudes do play a part in an individual’s sense of control that can lead to action. In conclusion, the authors note there is a need to further examine predictors of youthful offending.